A better way to build walls
A technology that started out as a research project within the laboratories at NUS Department of Civil Engineering is making waves in the regional construction industry. Funded by the Building and Construction Authority, the project was to develop a new technique for creating hollow core walls. Made from recycled concrete, the light-weight and high-strength building material are both environmentally friendly compared to traditional bricks, and also cost effective to install.
Improved productivity, build-ability and constructability
The technology has been licensed to a local small and medium enterprise, GreenCast, which is marketing the product as the GC ecoWall. It has already been used to construct walls in residential, commercial and industrial projects in Singapore and Malaysia.
Mr Patrick Tan, Managing Director of GreenCast, explained that, “One of the most commonly-found problems for hollow core panels are joint cracks. By leveraging upon this NUS technology, we are pleased to have solved this problem. We have been getting positive feedback from developers, contractors, engineers and even construction workers installing the walls. We are now in talks with the NUS Industry Liaison Office, exploring possibilities of upgrades to the ecoWall.”
MILESTONES
NUS Department of Civil Engineering developed optimal extrusion technique for creating hollow walls
2005
NUS patented the technology
2006
Technology licensed to GreenCast,
GC ecoWall launched in Singapore
2011
GC ecoWall marketed in Singapore and Malaysia
2012